camp MAYBE IT'S IN THE GUTTER &. coming out

[SPLINTERPAW.]

BUT MAYBE THAT'S A LIE​

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"don't... don't call me that."

he's quiet in his words. very careful. his gaze is steady on a cat in front of him, who he walked up to– which is way out of character for him– who had been speaking about splinterpaw. saying something about him having lost his mentor and it makes his belly ache. he doesn't like that. he hates it, in fact, and he decided right here, right now, he will correct it.

"uh... don't call you what, splinterpaw?"

"he. he. i am not... a he. call me they. they, only. I am not a tom. I am not a she cat. don't call me that."

whether or not they know it, it matters not, now. splinterpaw officially is deciding it here and now. their father doesn't have a son. their siblings do not have a brother. but they instead have a child. a sibling. simply a cat trying their best, even if they mess up all the damn time. at least there could be something in their life they could feel good about. and this would be it.

// they're coming out !! splinterpaw is officially a they/themer !! next up on the agenda, figuring out lesbianism

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[SEDGEPOUNCE]

Splinterpaw's outburst isn't a loud thing—they've probably never been loud a day of their life—but it's near and pointed enough to catch Sedgepounce's passing attention. Their grumpy face squares directly at their clanmate, cloudy-blue eyes for once clear to see. Taking a stand for themself. "All good, kiddo," Sedgepounce chimes, fixing Splinterpaw a disarming albeit earnest smile.

It probably takes a lot of introspection to figure out a part of yourself like that. Plenty of their clanmates have done it, but Sedgepounce hasn't ever...wrested with something like that himself. His identity, his existence, has always been more or less laid out in front of him. His folks expected certain things from him and he's never really battled against that—other than the "goofing off as an apprentice" and "not siding with WindClan's brutal dictator in battle" stuff. That's different, though.

"We'll remember for next time, yeah?" Sedgepounce bumps their clanmate that Splinterpaw marched up to. Somewhere, Rattleheart is looking onto this moment with pride. "Happy for you," he adds, looking to Bunnypaw's sibling warmly.
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[downyfur]

Downyfur had decided early, somewhere in between leaving the nursery and leaving for Sunstar's WindClan, that she wanted to be something other than what she was born as. It felt like the first and last decision they'd make for themself. She's even somewhat envious of her certainty then, one of the rare things strengthened in her early youth. Even then, they'd clung to what they knew, and it'd stuck with them all their life.

There's tension in the air. Downyfur drifts closer like a leaf in a pond, more curious than concerned. Splinterpaw looks intent but not quite intense. Her fur unknowingly settles when he finally spits out what it is, and a knowing smile breaks across her face despite their rude approach. "Yes, I'm happy for you," she chimes in, tail popping up behind her.

Blue eyes send their clanmate an apologetic look, quietly meowing an aside: "I'm sure it's alright... you didn't know." There's something else to be said about looking more carefully for the cat you were talking about before talking about them, but that was something learned from experience.​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

༄༄ There are plenty of WindClanners who do not adhere to the concept of being either a tom or a molly. Many exist outside of what many consider the "norm", including Scorchstar herself. Like water ebbs and flows, the calico's own sense of gender seems to change over time. Although the leader does not dwell on it enough, perhaps, to inform the clan of her identity. Not like Splinterpaw does—though she is proud of the apprentice for standing up for themself against a clanmate who had referred to them incorrectly. Scorchstar strides over to join the small group that's gathered, wanting to offer her own presence to her kin.

Sedgepounce and Downyfur each take turns reassuring the uninformed clanmate and accepting the apprentice's identity, but Scorchstar's presence is less comforting. "It will not happen again." Golden eyes cut to the cat who'd spoken, narrowed just enough to qualify as an unspoken threat. Watch who you speak of when they are not around. And ensure you remember this conversation. It is not explicit, nor is it likely to be followed up on, but to disrespect one of Rattleheart's kits is to disrespect Scorchstar herself. Her attention returns to Splinterpaw, and she murmurs, "I am… proud of you, Splinterpaw. I am glad that you trust us enough to tell us." She tips her head to her nibling in acknowledgment; it is always good to see a cat becoming more comfortable with their position in the clan.

OF THE FOLKLORE AND THE FABLES ☽♰☾ SHE’S THE TALLEST TALE OF ALL

• ooc: —
• 
• SCORCHSTAR ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ she/they, leader of windclan, tunneler
  ༄ small, slim flame-streaked calico with fiery golden eyes. stern and serious, ferociously protective of her clanmates.
  ༄ mate to bluepool ; sibling to rattleheart & rabbitclaw
  ༄ mentor to bilberrypaw & splinterpaw
  ༄ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ༄ penned by foxlore

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[Wasppaw]

I love you, and if you want, I'll call you King

She pausing from sharing tongues with her siblings to find the quite apprentice. Not a boy or a girl? The notion wasn't a new one - both Viperpaw and Rowanpaw had their own battle with gender dynamics. Wasppaw had been supportive, happy to refer to them in different conditions so long as they remained niblings.
She finds herself shrugging. "Cool, thanks for letting us know Spliterpaw."
She is smiling, a genuine smile despite the causal tone of her words. She is happy for the apprentice, truly. What a wonderful thing, to define yourself and trust others around you to honor that.


But why do I lie awake each night thinking
"Instead of you, it should be me"? — penned by Keee, tags
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[WILDWHISTLE]

winter's chill has struck the moors once again, a returning of seasons that promised newleaf upon the distant horizons. it seemed to have envelope their skeleton as a shiver passed through their body, as if snow clung to ivory bones and dared not to seep into further warmth. it will pass in due time. an exhale of ghosts escapes their maw as they enter the grand expanse, intent on going on a hunting patrol ( leaping over burrows and hoping not to enter any tunnels ) when their attention is snagged by the ending of 'not a tom ... not a she-cat' along with a small gathering — she's not one to ignore such a crowd. upon silvered paws did the tabby approach, a mrrph of laughter spilling from her maw like a flowing waterfall. " i suppose congratulations are in order, yeah ?" windwhistle murmurs, coming up beside wasppaw, nodding her head near sagely. once she'd found herself dancing with the topic of her identity before becoming divorced from it — no, maybe separated was the better term to describe their feelings on the situation. it came natural, not truly subscribing to certain terms or identities. how fun for splinterpaw — just an apprentice ! — to figure themselves out before warriorhood. " great to hear you've found yourself. just bite anyone who doesn't respect you. " that's what they did, but surely splinterpaw wouldn't do that, hopefully.

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[Brackenscar]

There is nothing they can say that anyone else hadn't already. The well wishes are expected, as is the mix of comfort for the one who spoke out and thinly veiled threats. Young wheat eyes glance at the WindClan leader in particular but nothing is said. Brackenscar had been aware of this already, to some extent anyways. They mentioned not feeling right being called a tom, well that's at least what she gleamed from their confusing conversation. It lends to the fact that the warrior can never tell if Splinterpaw likes to be around them or if they hate them. The calico can't find herself caring either way, it blends into routine after all. Even then, she presumed there was some level of respect between them for Splinterpaw to seek her out to talk about these woes.

Brackenscar offers no congratulations, not when the younger cat should already know there is now solidarity between the pair. If they look her way then she will give them a nod of approval. Her own gaze cutting into the cat who had accidentally misgendered them "I'm sure the embarrassment will save any more blunders like that" she remarks with a rather blunt meow. The dappled cat will keep a truce with their strange frenemy in this moment, even despite the lack of graduations there is a warm twinkle in her eye.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎‎‎ ‎ OH, IM JUST A GIRL ꕥ WHATS MY DESTINY ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

• ooc.
• 
• 
  Brackenscar ✩ They/she, Tunneler, 14 moons
  
  
  ⸙ A scowling, tiny calico with large ears.
  ⸙ Mentored by Scorchstar | Bluefrost.
  ⸙ Speech, thoughts, attacking.
  ⸙ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted ( underline and tag when attacking ).
  ⸙ All opinions are IC only.
  penned by Juice.
  

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